1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed toward an iodine topical disinfectant dip which provides reduced irritation and enhanced moisturizing effect to the skin as compared with other conventional topical disinfectants. Such topical disinfectants include hand sanitizers, surgical scrubs, surgical solutions and dairy cow teat disinfectants. Teat dips according to the present invention are particularly useful in extremely dry and/or windy conditions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Iodine solutions have been used as germicidal agents for many years, and especially in the formation of teat dip products for the prevention of mastitis in cows. In order to create useful solutions of this type, it is necessary to solubilize the iodine therein. Different solubilization approaches have been used in the past, some of which are discussed in greater detail below. Other approaches have involved the use of surfactants or polymers such as PVP that complex with iodine and yield solutions (generally referred to as iodophores). Some prior iodine-containing compositions can be quite irritating to animal skin, particularly when used under particular weather-related conditions. Thus, it is incumbent to utilize a teat dip that avoids skin irritation as better teat skin condition means less chance of harboring mastitis-causing pathogens and presumably more comfort for the cow.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,620 is directed toward stable aqueous glycerin iodine concentrates that are adapted for dilution in water to yield germicidal iodine use solutions. The concentrates include from about 30-87% by weight glycerin, from about 0.15-15% by weight iodine, from about 0.15-15% by weight iodide ion, and one or more additives such as compatible wetting agents, hydrotropes, thickening agents, additional emollients and buffering systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,153,229 is directed toward stable aqueous glycerin iodine concentrates that are adapted for dilution in water to yield germicidal iodine use solutions. The concentrates include glycerin, iodine, and iodide ion. The quantities of iodide ion and iodine are such that the ratio of iodide ion to iodine is from about 0.5:1 to about 6:1.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,608 is directed toward stable aqueous iodine/iodide/iodate germicidal compositions that have relatively high quantities of free iodine therein and also substantially maintain the starting amounts of available and free iodine throughout a storage period of at least about three months. These compositions contain from about 0.01-1.4% by weight available iodine, from about 10-125 ppm free iodine, from about 0.005-0.5% by weight iodate ion, from about 0.1-15% by weight of iodine complexing agent, from about 0.004-0.5% by weight iodide ion, and have a pH of from about 2.0-4.5.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0091553 is directed toward aqueous, ready-to-use iodine teat dip compositions that are specially formulated for winter time use to permit application to cows teats without freezing. The compositions include from about 0.01-2% by weight iodine, from about 0.01-3% by weight iodide ion, and from about 35-75% by weight of an additive such as glycerin. The compositions have free iodine values of from about 1-60 ppm at 25° C. and from about 0.5-20 ppm at 4° C.